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A summary of key provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that addresses the domestic coronavirus outbreak, including paid sick leave, insurance coverage of coronavirus testing, nutrition assistance, and unemployment benefits.
New federal legislation will require most private health plans to cover testing for the coronavirus with no cost sharing. Some states have adopted similar requirements for insurers they regulate, and many private insurance companies will voluntarily expand coverage for testing. However, some private coverage will not be subject to these requirements. To date, fewer changes have been adopted or considered with respect to treatment for complications from the disease. This brief reviews current coverage standards…
With over 6 million pregnancies per year in the U.S., pregnant and breastfeeding women constitute a significant portion of the population that could be impacted by COVID-19. This brief summarizes what is known thus far about pregnancy and COVID-19.
This literature review summarizes findings from 404 studies of the impact of state Medicaid expansions under the ACA published between January 2014 (when the coverage provisions of the ACA went into effect) and January 2020. It includes studies, analyses, and reports published by government, research, and policy organizations using data from 2014 or later. This body of research suggests that the expansion presents an opportunity for gains in coverage, improvements in access and financial security,…
With COVID-19 cases rising in the US, issues surrounding access to testing and treatment for uninsured individuals have taken on heightened importance. Efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus in the United States are dependent on people who may have been exposed to the virus or who are sick getting tested and seeking medical treatment. However, the uninsured are likely to face significant barriers to testing for COVID-19 and any care they may need…
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. This planned March 18 public forum organized by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the National Academy for State Health Policy public forum has been postponed. Additional information will be posted as it becomes available. The event would have featured two panel discussions examining the Affordable Care Act's impact on states and potential changes on the horizon. The first panel includes officials from five states and will explore how states approached…
On Friday, Feb. 7, KFF hosted a conversation with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee about their states’ efforts to establish a public health insurance option and make other changes to address health costs and access. The two governors have made health reforms a key part of their agendas and are seeking to expand access to affordable coverage for their residents through a public option – an approach that some national…
On January 30, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance inviting states to apply for new Section 1115 demonstrations known as the “Healthy Adult Opportunity” (HAO). These demonstrations would permit states “extensive flexibility” to use Medicaid funds to cover Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansion adults and other nonelderly adults covered at state option who do not qualify on the basis of disability, without being bound by many federal standards related to…
This brief gives an overview of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the US, the populations most impacted, as well as insurance coverage of IPV screening, counseling, and referral services.
All racial and ethnic groups experienced improvements in health coverage, access, and utilization compared to prior to the ACA, but Hispanics and Blacks experienced improvements in the largest number of the examined measures related to coverage, access, and use.
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